1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to the field of dispensing potable liquids from disposable containers that have a spigot supported by a projecting spout, and more particularly to an improved device for actuating the spigots of such containers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Disposable "bag-in box" containers are in widespread commercial use for packaging various liquids including but not limited to milk, fruit juices, water and wine. Such containers typically consist of a flexible plastic bag supported within a relatively rigid cardboard box. The cardboard box is generally rectangular, which permits storage at the wholesale level without needing crates. In addition, such containers allow the consumer to purchase and store relatively large quantities of such liquids with relative convenience.
A particular spout and spigot assembly has been developed for use with cardboard "bag-in-box" containers that is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,211,348. This assembly is provided in a first standard diameter for a 5 liter container, and in a second, smaller standard diameter for a 3 liter container. Briefly, the assembly comprises a spout provided in the plastic bag and supported near the bottom of the box, and a spigot attached to the far end of the spout. The spigot has a flexible stop wall with an integral toggle lever, which the user can manipulate to flex the stop wall. When the lever is raised, the stop wall is flexed and a path of egress is opened for the liquid through an opening in the stop wall. When the lever is released, a biasing snap back force acts to return the stop wall back to its unflexed shape, thereby sealing off the egress path.
The aforementioned spigot and spout assembly is now described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. Assembly 20 has an annular flange 22 for sealed connection to the flexible plastic bag containing the liquid. Extending from flange 22 is a hollow, typically cylindrical spout 24, with an interior surface 26 and an exterior surface. The exterior surface has outwardly extending flanges 28, which form between them annular grooves 30, 32 and 34. The flanges are included to facilitate filling of the bag with liquid, and to help stabilize, with respect to the cardboard box, the spout in an extended position for dispensing the liquid. The spout is typically made of plastic.
The spigot is indicated as 36, and is attached to the far end of spout 24. The spigot has a cylindrical outer wall 38, a cylindrical inner wall 40, and a flexible, circular inner wall 42, that is otherwise known as stop wall 42. The two cylindrical walls trap between them the far end of the spigot watertightly. The spigot is typically made primarily of rubber material.
The stop wall is disposed transversely to an axis of the spout, and seals it off. An arcuate portion of outer wall 38 is omitted to form opening 44, through which the liquid is dispensed. The outer edge of stop wall 42 has a sealing bead 46, which presses against interior surface 26 of the spout, to seal it off at opening 44.
Integral with stop wall 42 is a resilient, toggle shaped lever 48 extending from stop wall 42. The lever has an inner end, an outer end, and a flat bottom surface 50. The lever is attached to the stop wall by the inner end, and the bottom surface is to be engaged by a finger of the user. As seen in FIG. 3, the user is supposed to push on the bottom surface of the lever to counteract the biasing snap back force. The direction of the force is such that pushing is first upward, then rotates, and then concludes in the direction shown by arrow 51, i.e. upward and also inward. This will cause bottom surface 50 to be tilted upwards about the inner end. Stop wall 42 will be distorted, and sealing bead 46 will be drawn away from interior wall 26, thereby allowing the liquid to flow through opening 44. Upon release of lever 48, stop wall 42 returns to its normal shape by the action of the snap back force. As seen in FIG. 2, the lever in the closed configuration extends horizontally from the stop wall, and the bead seals off further flow of the liquid.
As can be seen, the lever is positioned entirely within the spout. This makes operation of the spigot cumbersome and uncomfortable for the user, as the user must insert a finger or thumb into the small cylindrical recess, and maintain a force on the lever to counteract the force of the snap back action. The force must be maintained at the awkward angle of arrow 51. The force divided by the small area of bottom surface 50 makes for high pressure against the finger of the user. If the pressure is too high, the user applies less force, thereby opening the egress path only narrowly, and the liquid flow rate is slow.
This problem has been addressed in the prior art by adaptor devices such as is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,919 to Atkinson, and shown in FIG. 4. Device 52 is mounted on spout 24, which is supported on cardboard box 53. The device opens the spigot by lifting lever 48.
More particularly, device 52 includes a semicircular collar 54 that is mounted onto the end of the spout. Strictly speaking, the collar is actually mounted over also outer wall 38 of the spigot. In the art it is said, however, that the collar is mounted onto the spout without mentioning the outer wall of the spigot, because it is the plastic spout that provides mounting stability, not the rubber spigot.
The device also includes an actuator 56 pivotably attached to the collar. The actuator has a handle 58 and a cam 60, that rotate together around a rotation axis 62. When the collar is mounted onto the spout, the actuator becomes positioned relative to the spigot in the standby position of FIG. 4. From there the actuator can open the spigot. Specifically, when handle 58 is rotated from the standby position towards the user and downward, an upper surface of cam 60 pushes lever 48 upwards, thereby dispensing liquid in a receptacle that is placed beneath the opening.
Devices of the prior art have problems. First, the spout and spigot assemblies come in two different diameters. The device can only be used on spouts of a single diameter. Thus a different device is required for a spout of a different diameter.
A second such problem arises from fact that the device wobbles and shifts around on the spout, since the mere mounting of the collar onto the spout does not also secure it.
A third set of problems arise from inadequacies in the design of the cam. Cam 60 pushes lever 48 upwards, but never opens the egress path fully, because of the danger of overrotation. Overrotation is undesirable because it will cause the lever to fall off the cam irreversibly, and the snap back force will cause the spigot to shut off. Then the device will have to be removed, the handle put back in the standby position, and the device remounted. To prevent such overrotation, Atkinson teaches to add a rotation stop tab 64. Tab 64 prevents further rotation of the actuator by itself running into the lower rim of the spout, but still does not allow the egress path to be opened the widest.